Repair Install For Vista

guy9 · Feb 13, 2011

Brink said:
If it's freezing that bad, then yeah I would try the other forum location here first to see if we may be able to solve the crashing issue.

You would usually be able to download device drivers for your 32-bit Vista at each device manufacturer's website in it's support/download area.

Thanks again for your answer.
I have consulted the Crash-forum and found instructions for what to do in case of
freezes, but the freeze happen so quickly today that it is not possible to do anything. I write this email from another Pc.

I have read somewhere that it is possible to do a clean full install without destroying the existing user data, by simply not formatting the disk!
Is that true? Would be nice!

Guy

Brink · Feb 13, 2011

You could do a custom install at boot. It's like a clean install, but places your current installation in the C:\Windows.old folder during the new installation. After the installation is complete, you can copy the files that you want from within the C:\Windows.old folder back into the new installation. You will still have to reinstall all of your programs and drivers though.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/241565-custom-install-vista.html

guy9 · Feb 14, 2011

Brink said:
You could do a custom install at boot. It's like a clean install, but places your current installation in the C:\Windows.old folder during the new installation. After the installation is complete, you can copy the files that you want from within the C:\Windows.old folder back into the new installation. You will still have to reinstall all of your programs and drivers though.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/241565-custom-install-vista.html

I have read now your tutorial about the Custom installation and also the restore/delete of the Windows.old folder.
Congratulations on your very well done site!

I think I have understood, but to be absolutly sure : This Windows.old folder contains not only Windows SYSTEM folder files (like c:\windows) but also ALL USER files and application data. Is that true?

Does it contain EVERYTHING that was on c:\ before the new install ?

Guy

Brink · Feb 14, 2011

Guy,

Yep, you have understood. It will contain everything on the C: drive.

guy9 · Feb 14, 2011

Brink said:
Guy,

Yep, you have understood. It will contain everything on the C: drive.

Ok, thanks. That's fine then!

I had some doubts because in the "Custom Install Vista" tutorial when you choose CUSTOM (on point 9) it is said "This option does not keep your files, settings and programs" .
In the "How to restore your windows.old" they use a complicated procedure with the command prompt to restore the files.
I understand that one must reinstall the application programs, but is it not
possible to use simply the normal windows file explorer's copy function to recuperate the user application data and files from the windows.old folder?

Guy

Brink · Feb 14, 2011

Guy,

"This option does not keep your files, settings and programs" message just means that it will not keep them in the new installation afterwards, but they will be in the C:\Windows.old folder though.

You could add this to your context menu to help make it a bit easier to copy those files back from within the C:\Windows.old folder to the same location in the new installation.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/89196-context-menu-add-copy-folder-move-folder.html

Ex_Brit · Mar 31, 2011

I'm wondering whether or not to do a repair install in my main Vista Ultimate SP2 x64 boot or simply format and reinstall that partition.

This is all because I cannot, no matter what I try (read a zillion tute's, disabled all protection etc. etc.), update my Nvidia GTX295 graphics drivers above the very basic that Windows installs in Safe Mode after a driver uninstallation - 182.15 which is way below what Windows usually starts with when the system is installed. (Posted in the appropriate thread both here and at Nvidia forums, no suggestions forthcoming thus far).

The other Vista on D: and my 2 Win 7 SP1's are all at 266.58 which is the latest WHQL per their website. Their CP's all show DX11 being used at least in part. I'm aware that DX11 didn't really come into its own until the 3xx card series and above. However the CP in this boot shows DX10 and I have a feeling that has something to do with it in that the installer is looking for something it can't find - it takes forever to complete. That could be of course because this driver is 2 years old +.

I have run the DirectX installer from MS website and am slap-bang up to date. Nothing is malfunctioning otherwise as far as I know. DxDiag concurs DX11 is alive and well.

It's such a shame if I have to format and reinstall but may have to if you think a repair install probably wont achieve anything.

Verdict anyone?

:cry:

Brink · Mar 31, 2011

Hello Peter,

I'm not sure if a repair install will help or not since the same driver will most likely be carried over into the repaired (in-place upgrade) installation.

Have you already tried manually uninstalling the "Display Adapter" driver for you card in Device Manager with the option to delete the driver file checked? If it works, you may be able to install the new driver version normally.

Ex_Brit · Mar 31, 2011

Hi Shawn and thanks for coming to my rescue once again. I try my best to help people when I can but this one has foxed me I'm afraid.

Tried all that and even ran Driver Sweeper as per Nvidia Forum's Tute: GeForce Driver Installation Guide - NVIDIA Forums - about 30 times now.

I did at one time have a more recent driver installed but all these aborted attempts wiped out that restore point eventually. (Windows installs initially in a fresh install a higher driver version in the 200's range).

I couldn't roll back because Driver Sweeper got rid of them anyway.

Always fails to install PhysX, 3D Vision and Control Panel.

I think you are right as a repair install, and I've done plenty of those, probably would just accept the installed driver as it isn't a system driver.

Oh well, not starting that this evening. Will think about a format/install tomorrow...maybe! :confused:

Brink · Mar 31, 2011

Hope it goes well.

Ex_Brit · Mar 31, 2011

We shall see. I have so much installed on this OS, iTunes with all my iPad apps is going to be a particularly messy p.i.a I am sure.

Ex_Brit · Apr 1, 2011

OK I managed to avoid a complete format and reinstallation of Windows.

I had overlooked that I had increased ICH and IOH voltages by 0.1v each, which seems insignificant but I guess Nvidia's installer balked at an increased PCIe voltage. I had done that ages ago on advice from a fellow grid-computing person and forgotten all about it. Once I set the BIOS to default values the installer was happier.

Not altogether happy though. The latest WHQL drivers 266.58 installed OK but failed to start, code 43, which could be just about anything.

Did the cleanup routine again and tried 260.89 and that is where I achieved success finally.

I can now breathe easier. I would still love to know why Nvidia makes our lives so difficult though.

Brink · Apr 1, 2011

That's great news Peter.

Ex_Brit · Apr 1, 2011

Thanks. ;-)

NSgsus · Jun 16, 2011

Thanks a lot Brink.!

Finally I solved my problem with error code: "0x80070246"

Thank you brink, you really helped me!

:D

Brink · Jun 16, 2011

You're most welcome NSgsus, and welcome to Vista Forums. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

AlanMcCormack · Jul 15, 2011

Hi

I've just registered to say thank you very much for your help and your great guide, because of you I have fixed my Vista Home Premium x32 installation and my computer is working great again.

I had the issue where my computer would not boot up, this appeared to happen after some sort of update, but the computer just could not load Vista, it only got as far as the black screen, it just recycled the power before the Vista orb had even appeared.

I could not start in Safe Mode and when I used the system repair utility all I got was the: Problem Signature 09: WrpRepair error. All of the advice on the Internet was either completely wrong or wipe your hard disk and do a full re-installation. Arrghhhhh!

It was so frustrating until I found this guide and followed your instructions TO THE LETTER. And I'm delighted because the upgrade Vista option allowed me to keep everything, all my settings, the look and feel, everything! So it has saved me an awful lot of heartache.

I think that you should thank people that help you and use the opportunity to say that this solution worked for me and should work for you if you have the same problem as long as you back up your data first and follow the instructions exactly.

Vista corrupts too easily!

Sorry I should mention that in order to follow this guide you have to get into Vista, I achieved this by running a system restore from Vista's Recovery options (using F8) and going back to a time when I knew the computer worked.

The first time I tried to do the upgrade reinstallation it would not let me go any further until I had removed Powershell, which I did using the Remove Windows Features in the Programs and Features section of the control panel. I removed both Powershell options with no bother, I did not reboot, because it wouldn't have come back up again and then I rang the Vista SP2 DVD installation and it all went perfectly.

The only issue was the nVidia driver which had become uninstalled but was easily reinstalled when I did the 96 microsoft updates.

Be warned the reinstallation takes a long time as does the 96 updates, but it was worth not to have to start from scratch.

Thanks again!

Alan

Brink · Jul 15, 2011

You're welcome Alan, and welcome to Vista Forums. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

tresean1 · Aug 13, 2011

Hello Brink...in regards to your tutorial and

"ITEMS THAT WILL BE RESET TO DEFAULT:

Computer Sound Event Scheme
Vista Services
Visual Effects Options
Windows Mail - To Save and Restore your messages and settings, see the section: How to Backup and Reset Windows Mail
Device Drivers - Be sure to have these handy to reinstall. They do not always remain after the repair (upgrade) install."

...is there some type of .ini or .sys file or registry entry that these (Vista Services/Visual Efects/Device Drivers) settings are stored in? In other words, could I just backup a copy of my settings, then copy/restore them when I do the Repair Install? Is there an easy way of doing this, or do I have to reapply these settings/install the device drivers one-by-one?

Will everything else (files/desktop image/shortcuts/installed programs/network settings/printers) be in tact and un-molested?

Brink · Aug 13, 2011

Hello Tresean,

It's basically anything that is not stored in a C:\Users\(user-name) folder has a good chance of being reset to default.

You can see how to create a REG file in the TIP box at the Services link for them.

Drivers will just have to be reinstalled if any of them get reset.

You could export the Schemes key in METHOD TWO at the Computer Sound Event Schemelink to save them to a REG file.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Repair Install For Vista

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